(בתגובה לזה) ה’ עמך תודה על השבחים וגם על ההערות, אבל לא על יואל אליצור תלונתך כי אם על ר’ מאיר שמחה שאותו ציטטתי. לענ”ד “ובמה קדושתו” וכו’ לא בא לשלול שזהו מפני השכינה והארון אלא מה הנפק”מ שבהיות המקום קדוש. בצעירותי הייתי הולך לשמוע את הרצאותיו הפרובוקטיביות של פרופ’ ליבוביץ ואני זוכר שהוא ציטט … Continue reading
Dear ****, I would like to present with you a non-midrashic but rabbinic understanding of the events prophetically described in Judges 17 and 18. The story picks up apparently in the middle of a conversation between Micah and his mother, the former admitting to misappropriating a sum of silver from the latter, and how he … Continue reading
I have always wondered why the details of the daily sacrifices and the additional sacrifices of the biblical holidays appear at the end of the book of Numbers (chapters 28 and 29), where they noticeably do not fit the rest of the context, which is a narrative presented in chronological order: the plague at Shittim, … Continue reading
On the Times Commonly Presented for Birkat HaL’vana, Part 3
Question: Should I ascend the Temple Mount? Answer: One should look forward to fulfilling any of the commandments. You should know that there are many obligatory commandments that you can only perform if you were to ascend the mount. It is also the ideal place to pray. Therefore, all agree that you should strive to … Continue reading
Contrary to what is written in a number of places, the Vilna Gaon was not opposed to individuals accepting Sabbath early, or congregations holding early services, etc, and there is just too much Talmudic proof as to the legitimacy of accepting the Sabbath early. Many like to point to Ma’aseh Rav 115, which reports that … Continue reading
Dear ****, As you know, I have been presenting my Haggadat Hapesah to senior scholars in an effort to secure their approval. Recently, one scholar was very encouraging, but he declined to comment on it, telling me how he was “comfortable with his Judaism.” Why, he asked, did I want to change the haggada we … Continue reading
Dear ****, I am surprised and alarmed to find out that your synagogue has recently begun publicizing the average molad time in the weekly z’manim, which include the daily and sabbath prayer times, distributed to the wider community. If anything, the synagogue should publicize what day or days of the coming week are Rosh Hodesh, … Continue reading
As we get ready to present more material to the public, please take some time to fill out this questionnaire (new link): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFbekWb2jxPmIvMXhM3q0PpfVtLiuknI5GxEEyLfE4-f0_RQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
(Part 3 here.) Leviticus 23:24-25: Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a day of rest, zichron t’ru’a (lit. “a memorial of sounding”), a holy convocation. You shall do no manner of laborious work, and you shall bring a fire offering … Continue reading
